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Originally Posted by bluebird01
Briefly.. I just recently began seeing a new T. I recently called to reschedule an appt and instead of just typing in her extension, I hit # (pound) then her extension. I wasnt really thinking when I did it.. that's the way I access my own office vmail from outside the office, and it was just out of habit. I was shocked when this one mistake brought me into her voicemail and left for her from her other clients began playing! In order words, her voicemail isnt password protected, and simply hitting # before her extension accesses it. I called back and left a message about the rescheduling and also informed her of what happened, imagining it was just a fluke in the system. She didnt call back for 5 days, and then only after I called a second time.. said she didnt realize I'd expected a return call about that. (I was supposed to call the front desk for scheduling, which I didnt realize, so she figured I'd already scheduled through them to address that issue.. even though I specifically asked her to call me back. Eh). She admitted to being aware of the issue with the vmail and was clearly not too concerned. I returned her call again yesterday (Mon) and told her how unacceptable I thought this was.. HIPAA and confidentiality issue.. and that I wouldnt be returning. As of today (Tues), the vmail is still totally accessible without a password. I have NOT listened to even a snippet of any vmail since the first time, when I didnt know what was happening.. but it's insane to me that she doesnt care about this apparently. I left a message for the office secretary yesterday evening asking for a return call with the name of the clinical director, or a call from him/her themselves, to complain about this issue.. and no one called back today. I dont suspect they will. SO... I'm considering reporting this T to the social work board, but I'm not sure if I should. Seems to be like a very basic breach of ethics and confidentiality. What do you all think? Should I report her? Or what else should I do?
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question......why call her voicemail a second time? even if it was just to check to see if she fixed the problem not to scare you or anything here where I live and work its a crime to break into someone private mail, email and voice mail. not to mention breaching other peoples confidentiality. even more so now that you know how to do it and repeating it.
that said...depending on the phone service/company it may not be possible for the problem to be fixed. example upstate from where I am theres only one phone company that services the whole county. and very few of these towns even have cell phone towers yet. which means no matter what these people get what they get and thats it. everyone has the same process to get in to their messages and yea sometimes a person ends up in another persons voicemail/answering machine especially if the other persons pin to retrieve is something as simple as 123 pound lol (teens around that county enjoy trying to hack in other peoples messages and sometimes succeeds.)
but what can they do. if they want phone service they have only one option. and they are lucky if they are able to have a non party line (thats where 2,3, most times 4 and 5 families are on the same telephone line, yes you read right...line ....out along the street.. there are light poles, electrical poles and telephone poles/telephone wires)
imagine talking to your doctor and in the middle of the conversation you hear a click, hello and you say back hi, Im using the phone right now, and the person who picked up says sorry and hangs up and you finish your phone call with your doctor. Im not kidding you people in the mountains and some towns and cities in NY still live this way..
and theres nothing treatment providers, or phone companies can do about this. and it does not breach any HIPPA nor HIPAA laws. it isnt like the treatment providers are calling people telling other clients about each other. its not the treatment providers fault someone accidentally dials (or purposely after they know it happened and how they did it) the treatment providers voice mail /answering machines.